What Comes After
by Takara Phoenix
Summary: Thanos and his forces are dusted, Tony was recovered from the snap. How were things going to unfold, with everyone back. What was going to happen with the Avengers? Loki/Tony FrostIron


FrostIron || Marvel || FrostIron || What Comes After || FrostIron || Marvel || FrostIron

Title: What Comes After – Marvel Trumps Hate

Fandom: Marvel

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Marvel Comics for the creation of some of the most awesome heroes ever. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Tags: m/m, explicit intercourse, anal, oral, rimming, frottage, Jealous Loki

Main Pairing: Loki/Tony

Side Pairings: Bruce/Jane, Hope/Darcy

Marvel Characters: Tony Stark, Loki Friggason, Nebula, James 'Rhodey' Rhodes, Bruce Banner, Hope van Dyne, Darcy Lewis, Jane Foster, Stephen Strange, Steve Rogers

Summary: Thanos and his forces are dusted, Tony was recovered from the snap. How were things going to unfold, with everyone back. What was going to happen with the Avengers?

**What Comes After**

_Marvel Trumps Hate_

They killed Thanos. Well, Tony killed Thanos. Very dramatically so, if he may add. _I am Iron Man_ and snap! All the bad guys dissolved into ash. Good thing Tony had thought ahead and had modified his suit to be able to hold the Infinity Stones – and to be able to swallow the backlash.

It took some time to recover. A lot of time. He was _bored out of his mind_ in that hospital room, even with Rhodey, Peter, Pepper and Happy regularly visiting him, trying to entertain him. Even Harley came to visit! Oh, the kid had grown a lot since Tony had last seen him.

"What are you going do when you get out of the hospital, Tones?"

Tony blinked a couple of times as he considered the question. Rhodey and Nebula were visiting him today, the three of them were playing cards together. Over the past five years, Nebula had grown to become a part of their family. As much as Rhodey, Pepper and Happy, she was a part of Tony's family. Which was why she was still here, on Earth. She could have left with the newly revived Guardians, but... they weren't _home_ to her. She had ever only gone with them for Gamora's sake, but Gamora was dead – had been sacrificed by Thanos. And the Gamora from 2014, she had to be returned to her own time, with her own Nebula, who had been knocked out by their Nebula and while unconscious for hours, despite her own original assumption, Nebula had not killed her past self. Nebula, their Nebula, could not selfishly keep the past Gamora for herself, for she had her own life to unfold in 2014. Nebula had nothing to return to with the Guardians, while in the past five years she had built a life for her own on Earth, with Tony and the others.

"Oh, I thought I could retire, live in a cabin in the woods, just me and maybe an alpaca."

"Tones." Rhodey snorted and rolled his eyes. "You and retirement? Come on."

"Happy and Pepper make it look good", offered Tony with a shrug. "They're so happy in their little cabin, with their daughter. And Morgan is so precious. Maybe I should get married and retire."

"That sounds wrong", offered Nebula off-handedly. "You are a hero, a warrior at heart. What would you do, sitting around not helping others?"

"Nebu's right", agreed Rhodey, pointing at her. "Be serious. You _want_ to be an Avenger."

"Oh, of course do I want to be an Avenger", huffed Tony dismissively. "I've been there since day one. Founding member and all that jazz. But do I want to be a part of _these_ Avengers?"

Nebula's movement was hesitant as she put the next card down. Silence engulfed them, and not the usual companionable silence. All three of them knew what Tony was talking about. They had been stretched thin during the past five years and Tony had, well, not entirely retired but he had moved to Cambridge, channeling his energy into raising the next generation of Avengers – front and center one Riri Williams who had caught his eye at MIT.

So Tony had been more than fine leaving the Avengers, or what was left of them, to Steve and Nat while he was out training Riri and her friends Doreen, Kamala, Gwen, Miles and America. Granted, he had started out with only one and then... others came forward. In a world where half of humanity had simply disappeared, young people with powers stepped up, sparking hope. They weren't the only ones, not by far. In other countries, young heroes stepped up. But it had been five years now, they were well-trained, they could handle themselves, Tony knew that. They didn't _need_ him.

Maybe it was time for Iron Man to return to being an Avenger, but then he looked at the Avengers and... he didn't really want that. They were all returned, Steve's little team. If he couldn't, and didn't want to, work with Steve and Natasha, how could he possibly work with _Clint_, Sam, Bucky...

"You know what. There's a lot of Avengers around now, isn't there?", mused Rhodey.

"What...?", asked Tony, clearly confused as his best friend leaned back.

"There's like a dozen Avengers right now. No city needs a dozen Avengers. And Massachusetts next door's got the Young Avengers. Maybe it's time the West Coast gets its own Avengers?"

Tony furrowed his brows before he huffed out a laugh. "I feel like it's time Rogers and I divide the kids for good and finalize our divorce, huh? I like that, Platypus. I really like that."

/break\

"Tony, this is silly", sighed Steve and shook his head.

"Actually, it's not. It _makes sense_", offered Bruce. "When we started out, there was six of us. Look around you, there are so many Avengers now. It makes sense to split up into different teams, responsible for different coasts. Do you know how big the US are?"

"There's fifty states, Cap. _Fifty_", pointed Tony out, one eyebrow raised. "Why should one state – one _city_ – have all the heroes? We've been at this nasty break-up since the 'Civil War'. Let's finalize our divorce, Cap. You get some of the kids, me the rest, we meet up for the big holidays – like the end of the world, or something like that. What do you say?"

Steve didn't look pleased. He still wished they could kiss and make up, especially after Tony had been 'cooperative' by inventing time-travel and being part of that mission. It hadn't been an act of forgiving, it had been an act of _logic_. This had been bigger than them, bigger than Tony's ego.

Steve didn't look happy, but he nodded reluctantly. "Let the Avengers... pick their location."

Tony held Steve's gaze but he made no attempts to move toward him. He had given Steve the shield back, because America needed Captain America. Steve – well, and Gamora and Nebula who had taken the stones from 2014 to return them – had brought back the Infinity Stones and returned even more determined. Apparently, he had gotten some closure by cashing in a long-awaited dance and hearing from Peggy Carter herself how happy she was in the life she had built since he had disappeared, with her husband and her job and everything. It had made him more determined to shape the future. Tony hoped it had helped set some priorities for him too.

"If you call, we'll be there", stated Tony after a moment, putting his everything into this promise. "Whatever happened in the past, if New York lays in ashes, we will fight side by side. But... try not to let it come to that, Cap. I really hate cleaning up after others."

/break\

In the end, the teams were divided relatively fairly, or at least Tony thought so.

Steve, naturally, got to keep Clint, Sam, Bucky, Natasha – who had been returned to them when they returned the Infinity Stone – and were joined by Sharon Carter. Strange, while not signing up as a regular Avenger, had promised the New York Avengers his magical help. After all, they had lost Wanda in the battle – it had been a vicious battle, it had figured not everyone would make it out alive and she had gone one on one with Thanos like a mad woman, single-mindedly seeking revenge for Vision's death – if not even the Sorcerer Supreme or an alien god who had honed his magic skills for centuries had stood a chance, how could an ordinary woman who had gotten her powers from a Nazi science experiment and was basically untrained in control...?

On Tony's team were Nebula, Rhodey, Bruce – and three new additions. Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne, who had both already lived in San Francisco anyway. (And Hope had given Scott _quite_ the pointed talking to about 'following Captain America without even asking _any_ questions at all, if Cap says jump, you just jump? No, not happening, Scott'. That aside, Hope and Tony had... kind of bonded, during the weeks since the big battle. Turned out they had some common ground in having certain daddy issues, being brilliant genius billionaires with super-suits, that kind of stuff.)

The biggest surprise however had been their last new addition. Loki Friggason.

Thor had gone off-world – he had been struggling a lot with the loss of his planet and a majority of his people and he saw a chance to start anew with the Guardians of the Galaxy. He had left Valkyrie in charge of the little village of Asgardians – Loki had always wanted to be a _king_, there was not much to be a king of it, he was happy to leave it to the village fools; his words. Loki too was looking for a new start and apparently, over the past five years and during the final battle where he had come out being _celebrated_ as a hero, and this kind of fame, it had... suited Loki just fine.

It figured, really. Loki had been an integral part of their fight against Thanos, his magic giving them quite the advantage during the battle and, after having lived... relatively peaceful for the past five years, he had indeed found his place among Earth's mightiest heroes in the celebrations afterward.

So those were the new West Coast Avengers – Tony Stark, Loki Friggason, Nebula, James Rhodes, Bruce Banner, Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne. They were stationed in San Francisco, because that was where Scott's daughter lived and considering Tony had no preference as to _where_ in California they'd be, he was very fine not separating a father from his daughter.

The Avengers had their own, new, top-notch facility in San Francisco. Tony had designed it all himself, but he was not footing the bills. The government was. The Avengers were, thanks to the Sokovia Accords, an actual work-force. They got paid, funded by the government, provided support – such as special ops teams, medical support and a host of other vital positions that needed filling.

"Look who finally decided to grace us with his presence."

Tony rolled his eyes as he entered the gym where Nebula and Hope were sparring. Hope was a brilliant young woman who had fought to step out of her father's shadows all her life and while recently tentatively reconnecting, they were far from a good and happy father-daughter dynamic. She seemed glad enough to do her own thing, instead of standing in the shadow of Hank Pym; both through the company as well as the superhero alter-ego now. The new Avengers had been on duty for about a week now, plus the weeks of getting everything set up here. And Hope seemed to be settling in quite nicely; she spent a lot of time in the labs, or sparring with Nebula.

"Hey. I'm a very busy man", chided Tony and straightened his suit.

"And I'm a very busy woman, what with _also_ being the head of a multi-billion dollar corporation, thanks to mother and father retiring to a house at the beach", huffed Hope, rolling her eyes.

Tony smiled fondly as he got to work himself. He still had a strict workout regime himself, after all he didn't get much younger and while thanks to the suit, he had the least amount of _physical_ fighting to do. Still, there was a reason he had started training the next generation. He was aware that he wouldn't be able to do the Iron Man gig forever. But he'd be damned to not do it as long as possible.

And Tony also knew he wasn't the only one to pay attention to a next generation. Bruce's younger cousin Jennifer, who had helped him greatly in researching the Hulk during the past five years to gain better control of his change, had been infected by Bruce's blood. She wasn't ready to be public just now, but they knew at one point she was going to help them. Even Barton was training a future Hawkeye, while Scott and Hope had taken to properly training Scott's teenage daughter, who was _very_ determined about becoming a hero herself – and better have her well-trained than having her sneak out and play vigilante while completely unprepared. (Though Scott insisted on 'one day'. First, she was most definitely going to finish high school.)

"Wanna spar?", asked Scott as he bounced in.

"You're just glad Hope's already busy", chuckled Tony amused.

"Absolutely, yes", agreed Scott immediately. "She will _kill_ me one day."

Again, Tony chuckled softly before the two of them went at it. Admittedly, Tony hadn't shown his face much since the Avengers had moved to San Francisco – for one, he had Stark Industries things to do and for another, he was one of the people helping with the outfall of the unsnapping.

They should have anticipated this probably. _Erasing_ half the population caused many to slip into depression and caused people to adjust, especially around the work-place. Having half the population all of a sudden pop back up though – that was far harder to adjust to. People wanted to return to homes that had long since been sold; there was not enough _space_ to harbor them all. Jobs had of course been filled, supposedly widowed spouses had moved on, children were now five years older than their parents had last seen them, others who returned had lost their loved ones to natural causes in the past five years. The world had moved on, without them.

Stark Industries helped _a lot_ with helping them settle in, with programs and building quick housing.

"How have you been adjusting?", asked Tony softly when they took a break. "Being buried in time-travel and clean-up was a good distraction, but now, being back here..."

"It's... weird", admitted Scott, looking at the ground. "It's... Every time I look at her, I'm so... startled. She's... so much older now. Five years. I missed five years of my daughter's life, after I had already missed so much when I was in prison and... I... I had _promised_ her that I would never leave her again. And then I disappeared for five years."

Tony sighed and rested a reassuring hand on Scott's shoulder. He had nothing to say. What did one say to such a thing. He smiled thinly, a smile returned by Scott. Things were hard, readjustments were hard. The dream of unsnapping people had been far easier in their heads, everyone had been so hung up on being reunited with the people they loved that they hadn't considered the downside.

/break\

Tony was biting his lip as he stared out the window. Loki was in the other lab – he was using it for his magic studies and his own kind of inventions; bit of science, bit of magic. He never really joined Tony, Bruce and Hope in the common lab and preferred his privacy, but thanks to the high glass walls, Tony got to enjoy the view regardless. Not that anyone could blame him! Loki was always wearing those skin-tight leather clothes and Tony was only a very weak man himself.

"Tony, you got a little... little drool there", noted Hope, motioning at her lips.

"...Ha, ha, ha. Very funny, Tinkerbell", grunted Tony with a deadpan.

Hope smirked and winked at him. "Come on. It's okay to find him attractive, Tony. We're all living here close with each other, seeing each other all the time, in... various states of being sweaty or undressed and... other things. Sexual attraction... well, it's not unexpected, is it?"

"Says the woman who has had a hard time looking Darcy into the eyes since her and Jane arrived, because you can't tear your eyes off certain... assets", countered Tony unimpressed.

"I see what you're trying to do, turning it against me", huffed Hope, looking more amused than offended. "Yes, I admit, Darcy's the... most enjoyable view around here for me."

"And how's the... nearly-something-but-then-he-ran-off-to-Germany taking it?", asked Tony, more genuinely concerned now. "Because we _do_ all live together here, don't we?"

Hope bit her lip and straightened up, sitting on the table she had previously been working on. "He understands that his running off and being on the run for weeks ruined all chances for anything _romantic_ between us and he had to work hard to regain my trust and _friendship_, but he has that. And I have his. We may have had a nearly-maybe, but we're both adults. And we work together well. Also I don't think he has entirely realized I'm bisexual and interested in Darcy yet..."

"Word of advise: Talk to him anyway. Because we _are_ all living together", noted Tony softly. "Because past maybes can make... current situations very awkward and complicated if unsolved."

Hope gave him a look, as though she knew what he was talking about. Sneaking a last glance at Loki, Tony turned away to focus on the hologram in front of him and the project he was working on. He had work to do, not gossip or romance to deal with.

/break\

Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis had come to join the West Coast Avengers about two weeks after they had settled in, upon invitation from Tony. He thought the astrophysicist would be a wonderful addition to their science team. He also knew a main reason why Jane hadn't worked closely with the Avengers in the past had been the on and off complicated relationship with Thor. Thor was off-world now, for who knew how long. It was time for Jane to do what she thought best for herself.

Sciencing with all three – Jane, Bruce and Hope – was _so much fun_. Tony had forgotten this. He had forgotten just how much fun science with others could be, if it wasn't an end of the universe kind of situation. Like it used to be, with Bruce and occasionally Helen Cho, back at the height of the old Avengers. Those were the days Tony still liked to think back onto.

"You know, I do dig this new gig here", noted Darcy, stuffing blueberries into her mouth.

She sat crosslegged on a table, watching them do science. Jane and Darcy had been kind of a package deal, though Tony wasn't entirely sure about what her role was. She seemed to be the Pepper to Jane's Tony – the normal human, who grounded the work-obsessed scientist, made sure Jane ate and remembered appointments and also socialized at least sometimes. Everybody needed a Pepper and Tony actually came to like Darcy a lot, she was fun.

Hope huffed softly, a smile on her lips. "Well, I'd say that too if I were you."

"Oh, like you're not enjoying it yourself, Pixie Princess", teased Darcy, throwing a blueberry at her.

Pausing for a moment, Hope looked around the room, looked at Darcy, at Tony who was writing something down, with Jane and Bruce leaning in close and whispering like they were discussing something else entirely. Admittedly, yes. Having others to do science with? Hope enjoyed it. She wanted to stay a part of this. And perhaps, Tony Stark was right. Time to clear the air.

"If you'll excuse me, guys. I... think I forgot to do something", said Hope as she left.

Darcy raised an eyebrow and the other three turned to watch Hope go too. "Did I say... something?"

"Oh, don't worry about that. I think she's just following some advise I gave her the other day."

"You... giving someone else advise...?", asked Bruce concerned. "Now I am worried."

"Thanks, Brucie bear", huffed Tony and elbowed his friend.

There was an amused sparkle in Bruce's eyes. "What... kind of advise was it?"

"The... romantic kind", offered Tony and cleared his throat.

"What? Why? Is she gonna get back together with Scott?", asked Darcy and sat up alert.

Jane laughed softly at that, earning a betrayed glare from Darcy until she sobered up. Bruce now laughed before returning his attention to his project. Tony huffed and turned his full attention onto Darcy now, because he really didn't need the Avengers to turn into a soap opera.

"No, she's not. They parted on good terms. They're friends and partners, not _romantic_ partners."

"Okay, great", sighed Darcy relieved, earning another giggle from Jane for which she got a blueberry thrown at her head. "You shut up, you already bagged your scientist. Now it's my turn."

Immediately, Jane _did_ shut up – and both she and Bruce blushed at that. They were like an open secret, everybody knew that the two had been dating since pretty much the first week. Bruce had gained confidence, out in space as well as over the past five years of tuning his connection with the Hulk. He had come far from thinking he was a monster without control, too dangerous to be loved. So when there had been a connection between Bruce and Jane, a spark, he had... asked her out. Simple as that. She had been a little flustered but the two really hit it off.

"So you _are_ interested in Hope in that way then, mh?", asked Tony, a small smile on his lips.

"_Listen_", grunted Darcy pointedly, lifting her chin. "I'm only a weak lesbian and have you _seen_ Hope's _arms_? I'm pretty sure she could bench-press me if she wanted. Man, I want her to bench-press me. Also, not just brawn but also brains...?"

Darcy sighed and fanned herself, making the other three laugh softly. "Well then, go get the girl."

Tony smiled and ushered her out of the lab. There was a strange kind of silence surrounding them after Darcy left. Tony could feel Bruce's eyes boring into the back of his head, while Jane looked a bit lost. Understandably, she hadn't been there during the first Avengers.

"Team romances, they can be tricky", whispered Tony softly, eyes on his project.

"We're not going to cause problems. Are we, Bruce?", asked Jane, nearly jokingly.

"Oh, no. No, no. Not talking about you guys! I'm totally #TeamBrane!", exclaimed Tony, laughing and lifting his hands up in the air. "You two are so cute. So on board with that."

"Then... what are you talking about, Tony?", asked Jane, searching for Bruce's eyes.

"Let's say... not every maybe is like Scottie and Hope", whispered Tony with a strained smile. "Some lead to ugly team-break-ups... Let's not repeat _that_."

"...Oh", whispered Jane as understanding dawned on her. "_Oh_. I'm... sorry, Tony."

"All long in the past. New me, new Avengers", assured Tony dismissively. "Learned from the past."

He saw the look Bruce and Jane exchanged at that, concerned and like they didn't believe him. Most days, he didn't believe himself. There was a reason he had been single for so long. Burned once, scarred twice, or something like that. Whatever. He had science and heroism to concentrate on.

/break\

"Are you avoiding me for our admittedly spotted past...?"

Tony looked up startled when Loki walked into the library. Sometimes, Tony liked to come here to think, be alone with his thoughts. It was very rarely used, considering the internet existed. Jane sometimes curled together in the corner with a good book and Bruce still preferred consulting actual books instead of the internet at times. Right now though, Tony was all alone. Or had been at least.

"I'm unsure what you're talking about, Reindeer Games."

Tony put on his most professional smile, yet Loki did not seem fooled by it. "You have a special bond with Nebula. You have your blood-brother James. You have your little... science-club with Jane, Bruce and Hope. Admittedly, I do not have a good read on your relationship with Scott, but even the two of you spar and talk. When not on the field, you seem to be avoiding me."

Rolling his eyes, Tony forced himself to look directly at Loki. Those very intense emerald-eyes that seemed to dig right into one's soul. Admittedly, Loki was right. And it was stupid. Tony was stupid.

"I may be... attracted to you", admitted Tony, putting his cards on the table. "Sexually. These things... tend to distract. And end badly. I figured with the least amount of interaction between the two of us, it may fade out and we can put it past us."

Loki looked surprised for a second before he actually seemed to be checking him out. He tilted his head intrigued, a smirk finding its way onto his lips as he stepped up to Tony.

"Or, and hear me out here, let's... get it out of our system now", whispered Loki, voice seductive.

"I'm sorry?", asked Tony startled when Loki crowded him against the bookshelves.

"It's been... a while since I last had... a bit of fun and quick release", whispered Loki lowly, reaching a hand out to cup Tony's cheek. "And, admittedly, you are very... attractive. So, I propose we get it out of your system, both win and move on to better teamwork after? Because I _meant_ it when I said I wish to be a part of this _team_. So, what do you say?"

Swallowing hard, Tony started nodding wildly and, in the next moment, he grasped Loki by the neck and pulled him into a kiss. It was neither slow nor tender, but filled with pent-up need on both fronts. Tony's fingers entangled in Loki's long hair, the other hand pressed against Loki's chest. Loki pushed a knee between Tony's legs, until they were pressed against each other enough to cause friction. A gasp escaped Tony's lips, fingers clawing into the leather. Loki all the while had one hand resting on Tony's hip, the other wound around Tony's waist so he could cup the scientist's butt.

Their kiss deepened, raw hunger in it, fingers digging into clothes and skin with a despair like they needed nothing more than this right now. Their touch was uncoordinated, their kiss fueled by desire.

"I feel like a schoolboy sneaking around in the library again", gasped Tony amused.

"Somehow, this does not surprise me", mused Loki before diving in for another kiss.

This kiss was more bruising, teeth nipping at lips, both of them lost to ecstasy. The hand previously on Tony's hip had found its way under his shirt to trace his muscles and feel his stomach. Tony himself had to reach out for Loki's ass, oh it felt _magnificent_ through the leather. Groaning, Tony rubbed against the leg between his own, his cock hard and strained against his own pants. He considered undressing them both, but his hands were far too busy and they would have to _part_ for it. Parting from Loki sounded horrible. Instead, he caught Loki's lower lip between his teeth and pressed down harder against Loki's thigh, pressing his own leg against Loki's erection.

"At this rate, the fun will be over before we even undressed", panted Tony.

"I don't think I would mind it", chuckled Loki, thrusting against Tony.

They both clung onto each other, lips clashing once more, pushing each other closer and closer to the limit until they both came in their pants, from the friction created between them alone. Tony gasped out, trying to catch his breath as he collapsed forward against Loki.

"You... You think we will... now move on from this?", asked Loki between pants.

"Definitely. This should really have gotten it out of my system", agreed Tony.

/break\

It did not get _anything_ out of their systems. Regardless of how often they told themselves it. Thrice, since the incident in the library, it had happened three more times. One, they had jerked each other off, the next time they had _actually_ managed to undress – what progress, truly – and put their mouths to good use and the third time, they fucked like wild animals.

"I don't know how to ask this without prompting you to tell me _too much_..."

Tony arched one eyebrow as he turned toward Rhodey. "What is it, platypus? Spill it."

"Everyone, and I absolutely do mean everyone, in this mansion knows that you and Loki are fucking", grunted Rhodey, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. "I just gotta know one thing: Do I have to be _worried_? Do I need to give him a shovel-talk?"

"I... I _what_?", asked Tony startled. "Everyone? Really everyone? _How_?"

"Well, Scott walked in on you and... he is real shit at keeping secrets", grunted Rhodey. "Also the bedroom eyes the two of you have been giving each other. You went from barely being in the same room as Loki to excessive chatter, science sessions and _a lot_ of touching. We're not idiots. Well, most of us. I am pretty sure Scott wouldn't have caught on if he hadn't walked in on you."

"You gotta start cutting the kid some slack", chuckled Tony fondly.

"Don't distract. I won't fall for that. Answer my question, Tones."

"I... don't know." Tony sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I... I mean, we flirt. But we only fucked to get over it. But it keeps happening and... I don't know, Rhodey. I really don't."

"You... You actually _like_ him", whispered Rhodey surprised. "You have _feelings_ for him."

Tony wished he could deny it. He wished he could scoff and mean it. But what Rhodey had described was all true; Tony had gone from avoiding Loki to spending a lot of time with Loki. When Loki had opened up about Asgardian technology and the science behind magic – Tony was gone. Tony was absolutely gone on the guy. And every time they hooked up, it only got... worse. Rhodey heaved a sigh and rested a heavy hand on his shoulder in a comforting manner. He knew better than to say something. Tony would figure this out, somehow. Probably. Maybe.

/break\

"I love you, baby. You are so gorgeous. Absolutely perfect."

"Do... Do you want us to leave you and the suit alone, Tones?", asked Rhodey disturbed.

Tony turned to glare at Rhodey while still petting the suit. He loved his nanobot suit, but now? In an act to help defend the world from future harm, T'Challa – honorary Avenger that he was – had given them all Vibranium, for their suits. Tony had been practically salivating at it. And when Loki had offered his _magic_ to enchant their new, upgraded suits? Tony was in love.

"Your love for your technology is... charming", noted Loki.

And it wasn't even an insult, or sarcasm. Tony was used to a lot of sarcasm. People mocking that he formed bonds with his robots and inventions. Loki's tone of voice though was... genuinely charmed, for lack of a better word. There was something really fond there.

"Are you getting sentimental on us, trickster?", chuckled Rhodey.

"No. It... simply reminds me of the love my mother held for magic. It is an integral part of us, like your science is an integral part of _you_." Loki ran a careful hand over the suit. "And now, it is... the perfect merger of your technology and my magic, for maximum protection."

Tony couldn't help but blush at that. A perfect merger of them both, mh? Well, it wasn't all about him. They had upgraded _everyone_'s suits. This was a purely team exercise, for the protection of the entire team. Tony couldn't tear his eyes off the green glow of Loki's magic.

/break\

Tony was sprawled out on his bed, on his stomach. His fingers were clawed into his pillow as he arched off the bed as much as he could, what with the Asgardian prince eating him out. Whimpering softly, his eyelids fluttered shut. Loki had cornered him after the mission, they had kissed harshly and Tony knew it was going to end in the bedroom. He had _not_ expected Loki to flip him over and go down on him. That silver-tongue was a very earned title, it was incredibly cunning as it worked him open. Tony knew he was mumbling something, chanting, but he couldn't even tell himself. A mix of begging for more and repeating Loki's name. He really had forgotten the simple pleasures in life. And Loki was incredibly talented. Loki's hand was wrapped around his cock as he slowly, casually jerked Tony off while eating him out. Moaning, Tony thrust forward into the hand and, as Loki pushed in deeper, Tony came into his lover's hand. Collapsing forward, all Tony could do was ride his orgasm out on Loki's tongue. When the trickster emerged, he looked incredibly pleased with himself. Smirking, he laid down next to Tony, carefully pulling him closer.

"Where did that come from?", asked Tony, panting hard.

"Mh, nothing in particular. You're just very sexy when you fight", mused Loki with a smirk.

Tony chuckled softly, licking his lips as he snuggled up to Loki. "I heard Thor called. You good?"

"Of course did Nebula tell you", grumbled Loki and rolled his eyes. "Yes, it's all good. He..." Loki paused for a moment and there was a genuine expression on his face. "I think this is good for him, getting out there, being a hero who gets to save people but putting distance between himself and... everything that has happened. It's... been a lot and especially for him, inexplicably he still managed to be shocked by Odin's actions. The Guardians seem to be the right company for him right now."

"And... are the Avengers the right company for you right now?", asked Tony softly.

He had his head resting on Loki's chest, looking up at the prince. "I... suppose the overall company is... rather... enjoyable. The glory and fame of being an Avenger is definitely a perk."

Tony rolled his eyes, though he still leaned in to kiss Loki softly.

/break\

It wasn't that they had _regular_ movie nights together, but sometimes, especially after exhausting missions, the Avengers would just all collapse on the couches in the living room, put on any random movie they could find and enjoy it in silence, mostly with take-out.

Jane and Bruce were cuddled together under a blanket, being adorable as always. Tony really was a fan of that; Brucie deserved to be happy and the two were so cute and brilliant together.

Darcy and Hope were the absolute opposite of that – they weren't cute and soft; they were nearly constantly making out and Tony had seen more than he had ever needed to see of either of them. Darcy was sitting comfortably on Hope's lap, with Hope's head pillowed on Darcy's breasts.

Nebula, Rhodey and Scott were sitting together, fighting over the popcorn and not minding the two couples. Or, well.. three couples? Was that what Loki and Tony were? A couple? He turned his head some where he was resting it against Loki's shoulder, the Asgardian having one arm wrapped around Tony's waist. They were doing more than just fucking. Tony blinked a couple times when Loki offered him a piece of pizza. Slowly and a bit confused, Tony accepted it.

"You looked hungry", muttered Loki. "It's been a long day."

And then he turned his head to kiss Tony's temple. From across the room, Rhodey gave him a look.

/break\

"Will you be fine, Anthony?", whispered Loki concerned.

"What? Sure. Old playing grounds", laughed Tony casually. "It's gonna be fun."

Loki scowled at him but refrained from commenting. They were on their way to New York; a very dangerous magic foe had attacked and the good Captain had reached out for backup. Stephen Strange was good, but apparently this was a _cult_ of magic users. What had Loki worried was the aforementioned good Captain. He was well-aware of the history between him and Tony.

"I'm sure you are looking forward to visiting Peter while we're in New York", offered Loki.

Tony seemed grateful for the change of topic. "Yeah. The kid's calling me _constantly_ but... I guess we're in for a real-life hug again. He's gonna be so excited."

Everyone else on the quinjet was as tense though, considering this would be the first time the West Coast and East Coast Avengers were going to work together. The history of the 'Team Cap' versus 'Team Iron Man' and what the news had called the Civil War back then may lay years behind them, but they had not been Avengers together since then. This was the first time.

As solemn and tense as the flight had been, they were all professional as they exited and got debriefed by Rogers before falling in line and going out into the field. Darcy, Jane, Bruce and Scott had stayed back to not leave their coast entirely unprotected. Rhodes had given them a no-nonsense 'play nice, take it seriously' before they had gotten on board of the jet.

"Strange", growled Loki as he came face to face with the doctor.

"Loki", drawled Strange, not sounding the least bit enthusiastic himself.

To call their relationship 'strained' would be an understatement; Loki was still personally offended that Strange had made him fall for half an hour. What a cheap trick from a cheap sorcerer. Today, Loki was going to show him that he was the _superior_ sorcerer. His eyes found Tony, side by side with Rogers and Rhodes. He was most definitely going to show his superiority here.

"Cult of Circe followers. How do you want to divide them?", asked Strange.

"I take the actual sorceress, you take the... wannabes who are just humans learning a few cheap tricks", offered Loki. "That seems like a good match of skills."

Strange looked unimpressed but complied; he had two other sorcerers from his sanctum with him. They could take care of the small fries while Loki was going to spar with a worthy opponent – Midgard did not have many of those. Most magic users here were self-taught Midgardians, not actual sorcerers like Loki himself. Loki straightened his back and prepared for attack.

/break\

Loki was bone-tired and exhausted after the battle. He had fought gloriously and he _had_ bested Strange, who even begrudgingly thanked him for his invaluable support. Yet... somehow the smile on Tony's face as he hugged and kissed Loki was far more rewarding?

"Oh my god I'm sorry", yelped Tony as he backed off, cheeks red.

They were still on the battlefield, all cult members cuffed and being led away and only the Avengers left standing to pack up and leave. Tony looked sheepish as he ruffled his hair. Loki frowned.

"There... is no need to be sorry. I suppose, considering _our_ team has known for quite a while, it may be time to move on. Admit the fact that what we have is more than... release."

Tony blinked a couple of times before he smiled again and pulled Loki into a deeper kiss. Deep enough to make Rogers do a weird sound in the background while Rhodey groaned loudly.

"Those two will be as bad as Hope and Darcy", complained Rhodey. "They were only holding back because they thought no one noticed. Nebula, I am moving out. Wanna get an apartment?"

"Mh, I do enjoy the entertainment value of it all", chuckled Nebula.

Tony however just wrapped his arms around Loki's neck and looked up into those green eyes.

/break\

Loki had become an Avenger mostly for entertainment; staying in the new small town of what was left of Asgard where the Valkyrie was now ruling... not very appealing. And roaming the galaxy with the buffoon and, well, his own buffoon? Absolutely terrifying, truly.

Earth had _celebrated_ him, together with the other great heroes that had saved the snapped ones. It... was nice, being celebrated for a change. There certainly was entertainment value to it too. And the change to show off that he was better than Strange – their previous encounter truly had left him feeling rather _irritated_. But that was supposed to be it. Fame and entertainment.

He had not calculated for one Tony Stark. He hadn't calculated for mere sexual attraction to actually grow into something _more_. The genuine affection he had for Tony now. Tilting his head just a little, Loki could look down at Tony's sleeping face, the genius contently snuggled up against Loki.

The real mystery was that it was not _just_ Tony he had grown attached to – yes, the most, yet somehow he also had grown fond of Nebula, James, Hope, even now that they got over their first meeting, Darcy. Loki had found his way into this strange team, this strange _family_. He had made a space for himself and he had found... his own happiness. When Frigga had died, he had wondered what would become of him; she had been the only one to understand him, to make him feel like he was welcomed. She would most likely be very proud of where he was now.

_~*~ The End ~*~_

* * *

_Author's note: So I participated in MTH last year and this is the outcome! I do hope you like it!_


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